Not too long ago, it was the New York Rangers who were looking for answers following a discouraging loss at Madison Square Garden. Now they’re red-hot and the Washington Capitals are very much not, as Sunday’s 4-1 Rangers win exemplifies.

The Rangers have won three games in a row, six of their last seven and have managed an 11-3-1 record in their last 15 games. They now hold sole possession of second place in the Metropolitan Division thanks to this victory.

In this case, Grubauer was yanked in favor of Holtby on a night when few Capitals enjoyed strong nights. One of the only bright spots was Alex Ovechkin bumping his league-leading total to 35 goals, as other Caps seemed hapless, especially Martin Erat.

While the Rangers seem to be building steam, the Capitals won’t get much relief. They’ve lost three straight road contests and will get one game in Washington on Tuesday before playing five straight away games to end the month. Things could get really ugly if Adam Oates & Co. can’t find answers by then.